Float for use in storage tanks for volatile liquids



May 29, 1928. 1,671,650

B. NEWMAN ETAL FLOAT FOR USE IN STORAGE TANKS FORIVOLMILIE LIQUIDS YFiled Nov. 29. 1926 Patented May 29, 1928. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' BERNARD NEWMAN AND OLIVER WICKHAH, F GRAYS, ENGLAND.

FLOAT FOR USE IN STORAGE TANKS FOR VOLATILE LIQUIDS. Application filedNovember 29, 1926, Serial No. 151,502, and in Great Britain February 27,19M.

This invention relates to means for stor- Fig. 8, is a vertical section,more or less ing and protecting liquids, and it has for diagrammatical,through one of the modiobject improvements by which certain adlied formsof float of Figs. 3 and 4. vantages shall be obtained. Referring to Fig.1, 1 1s a tank of the type The sealing of a liquid can be eflicaciouslyusually employed for storing motor irit; so effected by forming thereona film of lighter 2 is a ipe of usual form angularly a justliquid whichfilm will adapt itself to all able a out its lower end 3, and throu hirregularities of the containing vessel, but which the liquid iswithdrawn from the with volatile liquids of low specific gravity, tank.This pipe 2 is sometimes employed as such as motor spirit, a difficultyarises in the filling means for the tank. 4 is a usual 55 that they willnot support any known liquid form of foot valve inlet. The tankis'inwithout becomin contaminated therewith. dicated as partially filledwith liquid and According to t e present invention means the surface ofthe latter covered by a numfor storing and protecting liquids comprisesber, of floats 6 of the kind illustrated in Fig.

a tank havin a plurality of floats to cover 7. Eachfloat is hexagonal inplan, has a 70 the surface 0% the liquid. domed top 7 and a dependingportion 8 of The floats may be of a similar shape in pyramidal form, andis weighted to mainplan, for examp e hexagonal, square, triantain it inposition in the liquid. The domed gular, or circular, and by employingalarger top 7 is joined to the pyramidal depending number than arerequired to cover the surportion 8 by an intermediate part which com- (5face of the liquid 9. wedging action is proprises a part 9 having avertical wall, and a duced between the floats at the surface of secondpart'lO. also having a vertical wall, the liquid. said parts beingseparated by two parallel The floats may contain fire extinguishinggrooves 11. It is also preferable to arrange material. Thus they may befilled with an the part 9 to be set back slightly beyond the so inertgas or may have an aperture in the part 10. Some or all of the floatshave an upper surface and contain materials which aperture 19 in theirupper surfaces and a on subjection to heat will be ejected from tube 20extending therefrom into fire exthe floats and produce a fireextinguishing tinguishing liquid 21 contained in the hotblanket. tom ofthe float. The aperture 19 is covered as A form of float suitable forthe purpose of by a fusible plug 9.2, see Fig. 7. The floats theinvention is of hexagonal, sqtiliare or trinest together at the surfaceof the li uid and angular shape in plan and at te plane of cover it moreor less completely. T e numimmersion, and has a depending portion of herof floats placed in a tank is preferably 36 pyramidal form, which termincludes conimore than sufficient to cover the surface of cal form. theliquid therein so that one or more are The invention will now bedescribed with forced out of the liquid as shown at 12 in reference tothe accompanying drawings Fi 1 and a wedgin action is produced whereinwhich maintains the oats in close contact 40 Fig. 1 shows a sectionalside elevation of with each other and the sides of the tank. a tankembodying the inven ion n 0f e The floats are so constructed that theyare t pe usually employed for storing volatile immersed to a point on orbelow the part 10.

liquids, such as motor spirit; and the grooves 11 prevent the liquidcreep- Fig. 2 shows a similar view to Fig. 1 but ing up over their uppersurfaces. 6 with the tank filled with liquid; In Fig. 2 the tank isshown filled with liq- Fig. 3 is a similar view more or lessdiajuid andit illustrates how the floats will nest ammatical and on a smallerscale, of 8' round an obstruction such as a roof support modifiedarrangement; 13, a bracket 15, or a dip or gauge pipe 14. Fig. 4 is aSimi r V ew to Fig: 3 Of a Should the liquid in the tank become ignitedth m d fi r g m n v the heat will cause the fusible plug to melt .Fig- 5Shows an el va ion of n f rm f and the fire extin ishing material 21 tobe float; I ejectedfrom the cat and flow over the sur- Fig. 6 a planthereof, and face of the liquid whereby the fire will be Fi 7 sectionalelevation of a modified ext-in uished.

' a Referring to Fig. 3 the floats 6 (see Fig.

form of float.

8) illustrated are spherical and means comsurface of the float having anaperture thereprising a metal screen 16 is provided to in, and a tubeextending from said aperture calize the floats when the tank is empty orto said fire extinguishing material. nearly em ty, to keep them freefrom, for 7. A float for use with a plurality of oth- 5 example, t 1emanhole 17. ers to cover the surface of a liquid in a tank, 70 Fig. 4illustrates a modified form of tank having a depending portion ofpyramidal in which the roof is supported by columns form, the side wallof the float havin a 18 and indicates how the floats will nest roovetherearound above the round such columns. In this figure sulliincision,the float 4* cient floats 6' of spherical form are shown ing material inthe float chamb to produce a double layer, the floats in the surface ofthe float 1 upper layer covering. the spaces between the therein, and atube e floats in the lower layer so that the surface aperture in the uof the liquid is practically completely covextinguishing material insaid float chamber. ered. v 8. A float for use with a plurality of oth-80 In use the floats rise and fall w th the ers to cover the surface ofliquid in a tank, liquid in the tank and maintain a seal under having 21depending )ortion of pyramidal all normal conditions. The tank may beform, said float chain ered, fire extinguishof any form but means suchas screens, ing material in said float chamber, the upper should beprovided to prevent the floats from surface of said float having anaperture 85 entering outlets, draw oils, and the like. therein, a tubeextcndin from said aper- The floats may be of glass, metal or other tureto the fire cxtinguis ing material, and material, and the requirednumber having fusible means closing said aperture. been introduced intoa tank they will rc- 9. A float for use with a plurality of oth- 15quire no further attention. It will be uners to cover the surface ofliquid in a tank,

derstood that a large floating mass may be having a depending portion ofp 'ramidal employed in conjunction with a number of form, the side wallof the float h er, the upper 76 raving an aperture xtending from saidpper surface to the lire aving a smaller floats. groove therearoundabove the plane of im- What we claim is:- mersion, the upper surface ofthe float hav- 1. A float for use with a plurality of othing an aperturetherein, said float cham- 9 ers to cover the surface of liquid in atank, bered fire extin said float having a depending portion ofohamber,atube pyramidal form and a groove around its extinguishingmaterial, and a side wall above the plane of immersion. ber closing saidaperture.

2. A float for use with a plurality of oth- 10. A float for use with aplurality of others to cover the surface of liquid in a tank, ers tocover the surface of liquid in a. tank, said float having a weighteddepending porhaving a depending portion of pyramidal tionof pyramidalform and a groove around form, a vertical wall between the depending 403. A float for use with a plurality of othwall having parallel groovestherearound 105 ers to cover the surface of liquid in a tank, above theplane of immersion, the top of said float having a depending portion ofthe float having an aperture therein, th pyramidal form, a vertical wallbetween the float chambered fire extinguishinrr material ependingportion and the top of the float, in the float chamber, a tube exten ingfrom and said vertical wall having a groove therethe aperture to thefire extin uishing matearound above th plane f im i n, rial, and afusible member c osing said ap- 4. A float for use with a plurality ofotheers to cover the surface of liquid in a tank, 11. A float for usewith a plurality 'of said float having a depending portion of others tocover the surface of liquid in a pyramidal form, a vertical wallbetween/the nk, having a de ending ortion of pyra- 115 depending portionand the to of the float f l m, id Oat chain ered, fire extinaving agroove therearound a ove the plane gu mg m ial in the float chamber, averof immersion, and said wall above the groove heal Wall between thedepending POItiOII n set back from the portion of the vertical wall thep of the float, said W811 b 0W t 18 groove, a groove therearound abovethe plane of im- 5. A float for use with a plurality of othmerslon andthat portion of the wall above ers to cover the surface of liquid in atank, the g ve et b ck from that portion of the aving 21 dependingportion of pyramidal wall be ow said groove, the top surface of form,said float chambered, and fire extinthe float having an aperturetherethrou h, a guishing material in said chamber. tube extending fromthe aperture to sai fire 6. A float for use with a. plurality ofothextin ishing material, and a fusible memers to cover the surface ofliquid in a tank, her 0 osing said aperture, having a depending portionof pyramidal 12. A float for use with a plurality of form, said floatchambered, fire extinguishothers to cover the surface of liquid in a ingmaterial in said float chamber, the upper tank, said float having achamber therein adapted to contain fire extinguishing material, thefloat provided with an aperture therethrough and being constructed andarranged to normally maintain the aperture above the plane of immersionof said float, a tube from the aperture to said float chamber, andfusible means normally closing said aperture and tube.

13. A float for use with a plurality of others to cover the surface ofliquid in a tank, said float provided with a circumferential groove andbeing constructed and arranged to normally maintain said groove abovethe plane of immersion of the float to stop capillary flow of liquidupwardly on the wall of said float.

14. In combination, a tank, a liquid in the tank, a plurality of floatsin the li uid forming a cover for the surface thereo the combined crosssectional areas of said floats exceeding the exposed surface area ofsaid liquid, and one of said floats having a depending portion ofpyramidal form, the said oat raised above and supported by the adjacentfloats with the depending pyramidal portion in engagement therewith toform a wedge forcing and maintaining the floats in cover formingrelation over and substantially covering the surface of the liquid.

Dated this 2nd day of November, 1926.

BERNARD NEWMAN. OLIVER WICKHAM.

